Grétry, ANDRÉ ERNEST MODESTE,

Grétry, ANDRÉ ERNEST MODESTE, composer, was born at Liège, 8th February 1741, studied at Rome, and settled at Paris, where he became famous as author of more than forty comic operas, of which Le Huron (1768) and Lucile (1769) were the earliest, and Raoul and Richard Cœur-de-Lion among the best known. He was made inspector of the Conservatoire, and a member of the Institute; later a pension from Napoleon enabled him to retire to Ermenonville, where, in Rousseau's old house, he died, 24th September 1813. His operas are noted for their rich and bright melody, and did much to form the musical taste of the time. He also wrote Mémoires (4 vols. Paris, 1796). See the Lives by Gregoir (1883) and Brenet (1884).